1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus including image pickup means for converting an optical signal generated via optics to an electric image signal, and more particularly to a still camera, video camera, cellular phone or similar image pickup apparatus. The invention also relates to a method of picking up an image.
2. Description of the Background Art
Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2003-92700 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,488,429, 5,638,136 and 5,561,474 to Kojima et al, for example, disclose digital cameras of the type automatically releasing the shutter at adequate timing on detecting a face image and moreover automatically determining a frame size and executing backlight processing in accordance with the face image.
A digital camera may be adapted for recognizing a face image and measuring the lightness thereof to detect a back-light condition and automatically turn on a strobe when having determined the backlight condition. However, a problem with a digital camera having such a capability is that the camera is likely to erroneously detect a backlight condition which is contrary to fact.
Laid-open publication No. 2003-92700 and three Kojima et al mentioned above both do not take comparison between the lightness of a background and that of a subject into consideration because the former senses a face but does not sense background, while the latters simply use a flesh-color area for a decision, resulting in inaccurate correction of backlight. Further, neither one of the above four documents gives consideration to correction also necessary in the event of pickup of a subject against a night scene, i.e. pickup of a night scene.